Best Wishes- Reach Your Goals

It's a new year

It's a new year. Great. Better yet, the dawn of a new decade. If you
are reading this, it means you've survived the trials and tribulations
of the past decade and are ready to take on the challenges of the new
decade. The last decade belongs to the past and will be used as a rear
view mirror to better position ourselves in the present and reach our
goals in the future. The question is: Where would you like to be at the
dusk of this decade?

If you've missed the opportunity train of the last decade, or your
goal train failed to reach its destination, here is an opportunity to
start anew. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, a
ten-year ride aboard the opportunity train begins with the first
metrocard swipe at life's turnstile. 0121

At the aurora of this decade, what are your dreams and aspirations,
goals and objectives? Where do you see yourself 1 year, 3 years, ...10
years from now? Do you have a road map to take you there, have you
mapped out a strategy, a plan B - should plan A fail- to take you to
your destination?

At the crepuscule of this decade, will you look back and pat yourself
(self-congratulatory stance) on the shoulder and say :"Well done"? By
then you would have accomplished everything (or almost) you set out to
do. All the Ts of your dreams would have been crossed, the Is of your
aspirations dotted.

Humanity's eternal concerns seem to be: Health (mental, spiritual and
physical wellness), Wealth (finance, money, employment or jobs,
business, rainy days fund), Relationships (love, friendship,
interpersonal skills), Real Estate (housing, home ownership,
foreclosures), and their usual or inevitable corollaries, and the
pursuit of the abstract and unimaginable, the longing for joy and
happiness in a tumultuous world. 0221

Health

Wealth without health is a hollow victory over poverty. It is
pointless to be as rich as Croesus and not be in excellent health
(through faults of our own: poor nutrition, junk foods, lack of
exercises) to enjoy the fruits of one's labor. Good health is within
anyone's grasp, provided that the conditions to maintain it are met.
Therefore it is incumbent upon you -and you alone- to take good care of
yourself (mentally as well as physically), for your health is in your
own hands. Take charge.

Simple things that can be done to maintain good health.

♦Exercises. Before any attempt at engaging in any exercise regimen is
made , it is highly advisable to consult one's physician for medical
check-ups, fitness and exercises suitability.

There are a variety of exercises one can engage in, ranging from
weight lifting, step climbing, treadmilling, bicycling, rope jumping,
swimming, to hiking, walking, dancing, deep breathing, etc. Note that TV watching is an exercise in futility and idleness (exercise,
nevertheless [LOL!]). However, TV
watching (How to Watch Free TV on your PC) while exercising is multitasking at its best. For
simplicity's sake, we will focus on low impact exercises such as
walking, dancing, cycling and deep breathing. 0321

Walking- Part 1

Walking

Walking is free, non-competitive, low impact, low intensity, and the
needed gears or walking equipment are rather inexpensive: pedometer, reflective
sneakers, reflective walking clothing or jogging suit(s) (you want and
need to be seen by motorists), and an unyielding commitment to frequency
and regularity. The walking supplies can be found at any walking
stores. For motivation, invite a friend to join you in that walking
adventure. It is in his/her best interest to accept the invitation and
respond favorably, for both of you stand to benefit from the resulting
vibrant health. If your friend turns you down, extend an invitation to a
dog: man and woman's best friend (LOL!). The dog will be more than
happy to join you in exchange for some treats. Dogs are
fashion-conscious creatures (LOL!) and must be properly attired to
launch into that walking adventure with you. To bribe the dog into
saying yes, make sure, in addition to treats and poop scooper, your dog
is fashionably dressed!

If you are the adventurous type, you can engage in hiking or camping,
for which hiking gear and camping gear are needed.

What the health benefits of walking?

Weight loss

Low cholesterol

Hypertension lowered

Increased strength, flexibility and stamina

Retarded aging

Eases digestion and bowel movements

Colon cancer prevention, etc, to name just a few of the health
benefits of walking. 0421

Hommage to the late Michael JACKSON's Moon Walk

Arabic Belly Dance Fat Burning Part 1

Soukous Dance

Dancing

If an invitation to join the cast of or appear on "Dancing with the
Stars" has not been extended to you, be the "Star of your own Dancing".
You can dance your heart (better yet, your hips) out to the beat and
rhythm of salsa, meringue, kompa, soukous, reggae, zouk, samba, tango,
hip hop, rap, flamenco, etc. Dancing provides a plausible excuse to
socialize (seek a partner), dress-up, go out, have fun and spice up your
love life. If a partner is MIA (Missing In Action), dance alone.
Whether you pop up a DVD into a DVD Player, hook up your computer to
your big screen TV for You Tube dance videos or listen to a radio, iPod
or MP3, it is important to kick your heels, go ballroom dancing or
else. Bottom line: get moving.

What are the health benefits of dancing? Dancing, according to Mayo
clinic researchers:

Reduces stress

Increases energy

Improves strength

Increase muscle tone and coordination

According to the
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), dancing can:

Lower your risk of coronary heart disease

Decrease blood pressure

Help you manage your weight

Strengthen the bones of your legs and hips

Belly
dancing can help prepare women for childbirth. 0521

How to Use a Stationary Exercise Bike

Basic Stationary Bike Routine

Cycling Exercise

Cycling

Cycling is a great form of exercise. It can be done indoor or
outdoor. When biking outdoor, make sure you wear the proper cycling gear or
bicycling gear for road cycling: helmet, eyewear, gloves, bicycle
clothing, reflectors (you want and need to be seen at dawn or dusk),
bike headlight, bike taillight, etc. If you are an all-season cyclist,
winter or rain should not interfere with your cycling activities. Hence
the need for winter cycling gear and cycling rain gear. Cycling clothing
needs not be expensive. Cycling apparel can be fashionable and yet
affordable.

Any outdoor bike can be turned into an indoor or stationary exercise
bike by using an Indoor Bicycle TrainerorResistance Trainer.The
following trainers are available: Magnetic Trainer, Fluid Trainer,
Kinetic Trainer and Inertial Trainer. Indoor cycling can be fun, for no
special biking clothes are needed.

The health benefits of cycling are numerous:

Healthy heart

Lower blood pressure

Stress reduction

Muscle strength

Joint flexibility, etc. 0621

Breathing Exercise

Resparate

Zona

Breathing

Breathing is the simplest of exercises and the least
expensive of them all. Other than loose-fitting clothes an exercise mat,
nothing else is needed. The beauty of breathing, as a form of exercise,
lies in the fact that it can be performed just about anywhere and
anywhere (in bed, at the office, on the bus, on the train, on the plane,
on the boat, etc.) anytime and every time (except while driving, if
deep breathing puts you to sleep. Safety first).

Deep
breathing consists of two simple, and yet profound movements: Inhalation
and Exhalation. Slow breath in/slow breath out while adopting the right
posture. Fill your lungs with air by inhaling slowly, while expanding
your stomach, and exhale slowly. Slow and deep breath in/out is so
efficacious that the following breathing regulator devices are
FDA-approved: Resperate(Device Guided Breathing to Lower Blood
Pressure Naturally) and Zona Plus (Hand-held Isometric Therapy
Device to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally). Consult your physician before
embarking on a lower-your-blood-pressure-naturally adventure.

Deep
breathing has healthy beneficial impacts on:

Anxiety
disorders

Hyperventilation

Stress

Blood pressure

Sleeplessness

Asthma 0721

Martha Stewart's Green Juice Recipe

Carrot Juice Recipe

Juicing

Juicing is the extraction of the life force of
nutrients, vitamins, minerals (iron, copper, magnesium, potassium,
sodium, iodine, etc.), antioxidants, enzymes, dietary fibers,
isoflavonoids, chlorophyll and water from fruits, vegetables, leafy
greens and herbs via a juicer or juice extractor.

Most people
despise juicing, claiming it to be a time-consuming process. The choice
is yours: you can spend a little time now juicing to prevent ailments,
illnesses and diseases or spend a lot of time later hospitalized,
bedridden, gazing at the ceiling and waiting for friends and family to
bring you get-well-soon cards, inflated balloons and flowers. Bottom
line: juice now for radiant health or pay later a king ransom with ill
health as currency.

In both preceding "juicy' cases, experiment with portion and
proportion until suitable and palatable taste/flavor is reached. Experiment with your own recipes.

The phytochemical or phytonutrient contents of fruits and
vegetables are believed to be so potent and efficacious at preventing
and curing most ailments and diseases, that the National Cancer
Institute recommends five (5) daily servings of fruits and three (3) of
vegetables. The alleged curative virtues of fruits, vegetables and
plants are so evident that Nutraceuticals or Nutriceuticals (extracts of
foods) and Functional foods are demonstrated to have medicinal effects
and physiological benefits for the prevention and reduction of the risk
of chronic disease.

Health benefits of juicing:

Radiant
skin

Colon cleansing

Vitality

Anti-constipation

Weight
loss

Improved immune system

Protection against disease

Helps
with depression

Anti-aging, etc.

When it comes to juicers, stay away from the cheap stuff. Quality,
reliability and durability are always an issue. The more powerful the
motor, the better. My favorite juicers are:

Hatha Yoga 1

Meditation

Human Relations

Be good or better to one another. An ounce of
good deed is better than a pound of misdeed. We are condemned to live
and die together (no collective suicide please!) on this planet. We can
make the best of it by devising a plan (optimal utilization of Earth and
the Universe's resources) whereby everybody's needs are met, or
slaughter (wholesale slaughter) and destroy (mutual extermination) one another in the name of "freedom, liberty,
democracy, civilization, religion and/or terrorism", depending on your
philosophical or political leaning. Mankind's predatory instinct seems
to be the roots of all evil. Solution: Evolve! The predator expects the
prey to send him/her flowers and dark chocolate in exchange for being
the predator's victim (it's an honor and a privilege to be your prey!).
More often than not the victim (prey) retaliates against the victimizer
(predator). All hell breaks loose.

It doesn't cost an arm a
leg to be nice to one another. Simple things you can do: holding a door
for someone, pay a sincere compliment, a smile, a sensible joke (humor), give a ride to a stranded pedestrian (be cautious and judicious), pay someone's bus or train fare
(give a metrocard swipe), pay for someone's grocery bill (within reason),
whose multiple credit cards are declined at the cash register (sign of financial troubles). Those are simple acts of kindness and generosity. I can
guarantee you that you are not going to suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder) for being good and generous to your fellow beings. That
is exactly what you were created for: to be good or better to one
another. Results: less friction and tension. More joy and happiness. More peaceful interaction. Symmetrical relationship. Lower blood pressure. Better breathing.

Make it a point to do a good deed every day, and you'll be the happiest
soul in the whole wide world.

Can Yoga and Meditation make a better interactive human being out of you? Give them a try to find out. 0921

Wealth

Money -or the love of it- is said to be the root of all
evil. Or the source of all joy, depending on your take on it. I say (how
presumptuous of me) Evil -or the love it- is the root of all money.
Better yet, Eve -or the love of Eve- is the root of all Adamoney (Adam's
money)(LOL!). It's a case of half full vs half empty glass . A
double-edged sword. Money is like science and its discoveries. They
(discoveries) can be used for the betterment of humanity or its outright
destruction. Altogether. The same hold true for money and its use or
misuse. Regardless of the side of the argument you are on, money is
arguably to your financial well being what oxygen is to your brain. It
is a materialistic world.

It is also said that money cannot buy
happiness. I always wonder why. I probe and investigate. It turns out
that money is thrifty, as such, always looking for a bargain, and
happiness has never been -and will never be- on sale. There is no buy
one happiness, get one free happiness deal (no value deal!). Now you
know why money cannot buy happiness. (LOL!)

Let's get to the
heart of the matter. When it comes to money, the more diversified your
sources of income the better. The more passive and residual in nature is
your income, the better. The best sources of income are both passive
and residual. Of course there is nothing wrong with an active and
non-residual source of income. Whether the income source is passive or
active, It's all part and parcel of the overall income diversification
scheme, with respect to its source. 1021

If you can spend 10-12 hours/day enriching a company, it's only
fitting that you devote 1-2 hours/day to the furtherance of your own
business. In so doing, you'll lay a solid foundation to fall back on in
the event of a "downsizing". In the likely event (unfortunately nowadays
it's a common occurrence) you are shown the door, you will not come
back all guns blazing to "terminate your boss and co-workers' lives",
but you'll send them flowers and thank them for the opportunity you've
been given.

When it comes to your livelihood and sources of
income, I cannot emphasize and stress enough the need to pursue a dual
track policy: Your business and the business of the company you
work for or with. The company's business is plan A. Your business is
plan B. Always have a plan B. "If you fail to plan, you plan to
fail", once said a bright mind. Invest some time in plan B until it
becomes plan A (your plan, no one's else).

If you've been itching
to start a business and don't know where to turn to for informative
resources, this hub's content is meant to point you in the right
direction by putting at your disposal a plethora of actionable
information. 1121

Any business endeavor starts with a solid plan. A plan is road map
with goals and objectives clearly defined, and a how-to-attain-them
explicitly outlined. A plan is a living, breathing, flexible document
with provisions for detours and alternative routes to reach your
destination in the face of apparently insurmountable obstacles and
roadblocks. The road to success is paved and littered with traffic jams
and bottlenecks. It's up to you to circumvent and bypass the obstacles
and obstructions, and succeed against all odds.

If you are a
woman- Who is not nowadays? (LOL!) (If you are unsure about
your womanhood, please read Sexy Love Lingerie
(LOL!)- there are plenty of opportunities and resources for you out
there. Lots of sources of information, financing and funding. 1221

The National Association of Women Business Owners is chock full of
business-related information: business resources, access to capital,
government contracting, business publications, etc. .

Ladies
Who Launch- and their slogan "Entrepreneurship and Creativity as a
Lifestyle", is filled with resources on start-up, marketing, website and
technology, business protection, business plans, loans and financing,
etc. for business-minded women.

www.ladieswholaunch.com

Womanowned
is business networking for women. A wealth of Small Business
Resources`for women in business, women who want to start up or grow a
business, grant opportunities for women, etc.

www.womanowned.com

Digital
Women ("Women with their modem running..." is their slogan) claims to
have over 1000 business
resources & lending
resources for women, tools for and information on loans and free grants
for business start-ups and women entrepreneurs. Check it out.

www.digital-women.com

Make
Mine a Million $ Business sports information about starting a business,
leadership and management, financials, sales and marketing, tools and
resources, etc.

American Express' OPEN Forum is said to be "a community designed to help you grow your business and connect businesses". Even if you are not a business owner, you can still explore their "Idea Hub", where a great deal of content might inspire you.

An
excellent resource for business plans, mentorship, women
entrepreneurship, tracking one's business progress, business financing,
etc. is the Service Corps Of Retired Executivesor SCORE for
short. SCORE is a treasure trove of business-related information.

In
the course of running a business, calculators are needed for paycheck,
retirement, credit and debt, savings, auto loan, etc. A good resource
for calculators, personal finance, investing and small business is walletpop.

www.walletpop.com

Accounting is to business what oil
gauge is to engine. Read How To Get Free Accounting Sofware.

If you are a man -everybody seems to be nowadays (LOL!)- obviously
you cannot take advantage of this opportunities specially tailored for
women. In which case, why not do the next logical and best thing: If you
can't beat them, join them. Pick a woman or your lady as a partner and
let her be the boss (as she's always been. Ladies, stop pulling the
strings behind the scene [LOL!]). For once, if your partner is a
what-have-you-done-for-me-lately person, you can take credit for a
woman's success by making that chest beating statement: Behind every
successful woman stands (or sits) a man (LOL!). Or every successful
woman stands on the rather broad shoulders of a strong man. At last the
behind-every-successful-man-stands-a-woman phrase is turned on its head.

As a man, you probably wonder what's in it for me? Well I know
it's every man's dream to be voted the sexiest man alive -not on the
planet or the Universe, for that matter- but in his castle (Did I burst you
ego bubble? Sorry.) by female members of his household! You would have
fulfilled that lifelong dream on that account alone. How about bragging
right? Can you imagine bragging to your male friends about being voted
the sexiest man alive? Their logical question would be: What have you
done to earn their votes, hence the title? You can proudly answer: I
help women succeed.

Remember: There is a downside to being the
sexiest man alive, and that is: Your peers are green with envy and
jealousy (LOL!). How about your every move being watched, tracked and monitored by the paparazzi and -best of all- the "mamarazzi"? (LOL!)

It is said: "My People perished for the lack
of knowledge". You, as a budding or aspiring entrepreneur, I don't want
you to fail in your business endeavor for lack of actionable knowledge,
information and resources. That is why I make it a point to gather and
put at your disposal all -by no means exhaustive- of these informative
and educative resources. Cheers to your success! (now and in the future)
Cheers to your success for the next decade beginning today! 1621

If you are the non-adventurous type, a professional 9-to-5er
(nine-to-fiver), have a job or looking for one, there are plenty of
resources for you too. The benefits of a 9 to 5 job ranges from paid
sick days, vacation, health insurance to retirement plans, 401k, stock
options, etc.

The drawback is if the job can be digitalized or
robotized in any way, shape, form or fashion, it might be here today,
gone tomorrow. You are "downsizable". Hence the need for Plan B, a
dual strategy: the 9-to-5, the company's job (Plan A), which you have
no control over; and the 5-to-9, your job (Plan B) , which you have
control over. Invest a little time in your 5-to-9 to protect against and
shield yourself from the whimsical nature and random ravages of a
9-to-5. Simply put, fix or make your bed before you fall asleep.

Here
are the resources: 1721

Job-Hunt is a reservoir of information about "getting started, help
from job search experts,free job hunting e-books, job search
news, links to job search and career resources", etc.

Linkedin, according to Linkedin, is used by "over 60 million
professionals to exchange information, ideas and opportunities". As a
professional, you owe it to yourself to join these social networks to
broaden your job opportunity horizon.

www.linkedin.com

For
more information about education, job and career opportunities, the
following resources are worth exploring:

Housing

"Birds do not need a mortgage, you do" (a bank slogan). Birds do not
lease or pay rent, you do. If you are confronted with real estate or
housing issues (foreclosure prevention, loan modification, late
payments, homelessness, rents, etc.) due to miseducation or misinformation, view the
predicament you are in as a learning experiment with a steep curve. Draw
experience and learn from it, educate yourself and move on. Better days
are ahead. The following resources, in light of the circumstances, may
be of help and assistance:

Making
Home Affordable aims to point home owners in the right direction with
respect to refinancing, loan or mortgage modification, eligibility,
finding a counselor and many more resources.

Conclusion

Just about (almost) every major artery of the highways and byways of your life has been mapped out and covered: Health and Wealth, Exercises and Juicing, Business and Employment (Jobs), Housing and Real Estate, and Human Resources. The only missing piece of the puzzle is love: a slippery, slimy and eely subject. I leave it up to you.

Let's make this hub interactive. Stop by from time to time to keep me abreast of your goals, dreams and aspirations, your progress along the way to making them come true (how and when). It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Something as simple as buying a car, a home, looking for and getting a job, falling in love (LOL!), joining Hubpages, publishing your first hub (article), etc. Anything.*

Remember: The windows of opportunity are open from 9-5. So, Carpe Diem.

Happy, actionable, fruitful and beneficial reading!

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.___________________________________________________________________

* Hub's content is meant for informational purposes only. Every
effort has been made to convey accurate information. Author cannot be
held liable or responsible for inaccuracies or omissions, if any. The advice and
expertise of professionals/experts should be sought when
warranted, or prior to acting on any information herein contained.
Readers are advised to do their own due diligence.

Any and all cited brands, trademarks, registered trademarks or trade names are the property of their respective owners. 2121

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